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ICC is turning the game of cricket into a sheer mockery.

On 5th and the last day of the Perth WACA ground Test match, one ball which landed on the pitch crack, turned suddenly 24* degrees/200 centimetres, was caught by the fielder standing at leg gully position and was also declared a wide ball.

Playing Test cricket on such type of tracks is a mockery of the game.

Carry on ICC.

The cracks on the 4th day of the 3rd Ashes Test on the pitch of the Perth WACA cricket ground are so wide that it is becoming almost impossible, for the batsmen to play the ball, which is pitched over the cracks.

As such, the umpires acting under the ICC approved playing conditions, should abandon this match on the grounds of pitch being dangerous and unplayable damaged due the extremely wide cracks.

Moreover, in the larger interest of the glorious game of cricket, the ICC should ban this venue for Test matches.

However, ODI and international T20 matches, may be allowed to be played as usual; because WACA ground pitch starts developing bigger cracks from the 2nd day, which dramatically gradually, widen during the 3rd, 4th and the 5the day.

May be that is the reason the Indian team will not be playing at WACA ground during their next tour.

International Olympic Committee (IOC), in recognition of the monumental services to the cause of sports, by the late Nelson Mandela, must honour him by designing the medals with the picture of Nelson Mandela, to be awarded during the next summer Olympics.

And as a befitting tribute to Nelson Mandela’s services for the sports, the next Olympics should also be named as “Nelson Mandela Olympic Games”.

In this regard, it will not be out of place to quote a statement of Nelson Mandela on sports.

Quote. “Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.” Unquote.

Hope the ICC will strictly instruct it’s umpires to be absolutely neutral with their decisions against Pakistan, in the 3rd ODI match between Pak vs SA, being played in a short while today.

ICC should also direct the Umpires to not to show any racist bias against Pakistan, as they did during the 2nd ODI, when they gave Anwar Ali out, obstructing the field illegally, while he was running in a straight line and did not change his course, at all.
How Anwer Ali was given out on running in a straight line, is not a mystery, but a blatant case of racist bias against Pakistan, which is obviously against the values of the ICC, enshrined in its charter, may be just in theory.
We have seen how ICC favoured the SA team players in the case of claim of false catch by SA captain and in awarding mildest of the mild punishment to the SA team’s culprit player, in the ball tampering case, during the recent matches played in the UAE.
Wake up ICC, apartheid will kill the cricket.

If Pakistan was to lose against every team (with embarrassingly wide margins, like 15 overs to spare), be it the Number 1 or the weakest team of the world, with stalwarts and so called senior players part of such a team, there will be no harm, if we rebuild an entirely new team (for the ODI and T20 versions of cricket) consisting of players, having potential and fresh legs, like Awais Zia etc.

By doing so there should be no issues , even if we were to lose some more matches, with the rebuilt team of youngsters; and let it be an investment for the future, as well.

Now a stage has come that the PCB must take, forward looking and bold decisions, instead of retrogressively expecting performances from the spent cartridges like Muhammad Hafeez, Abdur Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and Misbah ul Haq. Heavens won’t fall, even if a player like Umar Amin or Saeed Ajmal is given the captaincy.

Younis Khan may be given the captaincy for the Test team, which may include some oldies like Misbah ul Haq, as well.

Moreover, there can be no better choice for the position of the head coach of the Pakistani team, than Mr. Ramiz Raja.

Without any doubt, Vineet Kulkarni, the famous cheating Indian umpire is the worlds most dishonest umpire.

Just read below the comments of the ESPNcricinfo commentators.

“Shillingford to Pujara, no run, is that out? West Indies are celebrating. They seem confident that the catch at short leg has been taken cleanly, but Nigel Llong wants to double check. That one bounced and turned into the batsman, hit the shoulder of the bat as Pujara was looking to defends and popped towards the fielder at short leg. The fielder actually did well to grab that one as it was dipping on him, but the third umpire is taking a look at all the camera angles. It looks fine as the fielder had his fingers underneath that one. Those are some long fingers and they are looking to be comfortably below the ball. What!! It’s not out! Sammy is understandably upset and he has word with the umpire. That looked out from both camera angles they were checking. Pujara is lucky to survive.”

“Vishnu Raj : “Poor decision,that looked out from every angle.”

“Alec: “Awful, awful decision by the 3rd umpire. Camera angles distort the vision, he should know that as a professional. Pujara should also have accepted the fielder’s word.”

“Suhas: “Damn you umpires. You robbed us of watching Sachin in the kolkata test with a wrong decision. And now with another shocker, a probable Sachin innings 2nd time looks gone too.”

It is suggested that PCB must be totally revamped from the top to the bottom, to make it function like a top class world level organisation, with zero tolerance for old amateur and bureaucratic style of working, intellectual, moral and financial corruption, nepotism and favouritism, in each and every sphere of its operations, with its vision statement as “Better than the best”.

If PCB wants to survive in the fast changing world of competition, it must change its old habits and rebuild itself inside out. PCB must know that a professional organisation is “of and for professional people”

For inside out rebuilding, the PCB must come out in a crystal clear manner that “how it want to be thought of” and then consider every thing that PCB “say and do.”

Every PCB department must also be converted into a “Cost center” responsible for its revenues and expenses.

Side by side, PCB must also shun its culture of politics and self serving policies. This is absolutely necessary, because culture of an organisation is the environment under which all it’s employes perform their duties. What is needed by the PCB is to create a culture of team work, which stimulates the employees for working with absolute honesty and recognises and rewards employee efforts and permeates the entire organisation.

While chaos, politics and leg pulling is rampant in the rank and file employees of the PCB, how it can be expected to produce players, who will not be equally, if not more, afflicted by these malaise? As they say in the IT jargon, garbage in garbage out. or output can not be more than the input.

However, the top notches of the government and the PCB, must know very clearly that PCB can not be turned out into a first class world level organisation, by just transfers, postings, change of designations, hiring or firing of employees. In fact, such steps breeds even more discontent and ill will among the employees and general masses. To achieve the desired results, PCB needs a total and complete overhaul, disregarding any political or other pressures for serving any vested interest(s), examples of which (running the organisation on an absolutely 100% merit basis) can be seen in many Pakistani organisations like LUMS, SKMCH & RC, IBA and GIK etc.

Till such time, PCB itself is turned into a center of excellence, it can’t produce a bunch of players, who can be the world beaters, on a consistent level.

In any team game the players do not need champions like Don Bradman or David Beckham to be the world beaters. But greats like Don Bradman and David Beckham in any team, can not excel, without the cooperation of other team members.

For our players to excel at the international arena, on a constant level, PCB coaches need to repeatedly hammer into the minds of the players, the following famous quote of Aristotle.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”

Moreover, the PCB think tank must “PLAN FOR SUCCESS” with clear and measurable objectives.

Gone are the old decadent ways of assembling players for a camp, just before the tour to show their fitness and playing abilities. It must be the specified duty of the think tank and the selectors to devise a plan to monitor 24/7 the health, eating habits, general behaviour and performance of the CONTRACTED players in a scientific manner. These contracted players must not be allowed to have a free reign even during the off days, as they are almost like paid employees of the PCB.

Moreover, the FINE TUNING and grooming of the marked pool of all the talented and upcoming players (non-contracted) should be the SPECIFIC responsibility of the NCA staff, who must constantly produce highest calibre five players, for each position of the game, both for the men and the ladies teams.

It will not be out of place to conclude, by mentioning the quotes of the two famous sports coaches, for the motivation of our players, who are under tremendous pressure to perform on a consistent level.

“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.”
– Quoted from Vince Lombardi

“When you’re playing against a stacked deck, compete even harder. Show the world how much you’ll fight for the winners circle. If you do, someday the cellophane will crackle off a fresh pack, one that belongs to you, and the cards will be stacked in your favor.”
– Famous quote by Pat Riley

An advice to the Pakistani cricket team’s management and players

Rather than going for criticising the players, who are failing in their performances, I want to change the attitude and infuse passion and intensity in the team.

The attitude of the players must be changed, so that each player thinks he is playing for the country; and must display the maturity and responsibility, as if, he was the PM of Pakistan and captain of the team.

According to Nido R. Qubein,
Quote. “Literature and history are full of people who suffered from handicaps, had talents that were inferior to those around them, lived in the worst of circumstances, or faced many defeats. Yet, many of these people are listed among the winners in life’s Hall of Fame.

The secret is this: Whether you reach success or failure in life has little to do with your circumstances; it has much more to do with your attitude…with your faithful courage…with your choices!

You see, non-achievers blame their circumstances; winners rise above their circumstances. Some concentrate on the blank wall that boxes them in; winners always look for a way to get under it, over it, around it, or through it.

Moreover, the tour team management must emphasise to the players that “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”

Surround yourself with positive influences. When you are surrounded by negative thinkers, image, or materials, it is easy to get bogged down in hopelessness.

Read inspiring books and magazines. Listen to motivational recordings and speakers. Attend positive-thinking seminars or programs. Make it a point to read or watch or listen to something positive and inspiring at least once every day.

Associate with positive people. Look for friends who feel good about themselves, people who have the attitude of gratitude. People who need to tear down others are not happy with themselves and are not good for you or your attitude.” Unquote.

Moreover, the tour team management must emphasise to the players that “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”

Players must give their best, forget about the result and leave it to Allah.

Players should and must also support and cover up the weaknesses of each other, so that it becomes the duty of the comrades to convert the failure (s) of a colleague into the success of the team.

My letter published by the daily “Dawn” today on 5 November, 2013.

Link:- http://dawn.com/news/1054254/cricket-rules-some-questions

Cricket rules: some questions

FROM THE NEWSPAPER

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Published

2013-11-05 07:51:35

THE question before everyone, particularly the International Cricket Council (ICC) and match referee David Boon, is that whether the umpires changed the ball and granted five penalty runs to the Pakistani team, under the latest ICC Test match playing conditions coming into effect from Oct, 1, rule 42.1.1 or 42.1.2?

If rule 42.1.1 (quoted as below) was applied, then why didn’t the umpires allow the batsman at the wicket to choose the ball as per clearly specified law (a) and did the bowler’s-end umpire inform formally the captain of the batting side of what did occur as per (d) below?

a) Change the ball forthwith. The batsman at the wicket shall choose the replacement ball from a selection of six other balls of various degrees of usage (including a new ball) and of the same brand as the ball in use prior to the contravention.

Additionally, the bowler’s end umpire shall:

b) Award five penalty runs to the batting side.

c) Inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for the action taken.

d) Inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable of what has occurred.

e) Together with the other umpire report the incident to the ICC match referee who shall take action as is appropriate against the player(s) responsible for the conduct under the ICC Code of Conduct.

However, if rule 42.1.2, quoted as follows, was applied:

If it is not possible to identify the player(s) responsible: a) change the ball forthwith. The umpires shall choose the replacement ball for one of similar wear and of the same brand as the ball in use prior to the contravention.

(b) The bowler’s end umpire shall issue the captain with a first and final warning, and (c) advise him that should there be any further incident by that team during the remainder of the match, steps 42.1.1 a to e above will be adopted, with the captain deemed under e) to be the player responsible.Why did the bowler’s end umpire not issue first and final warning as per 42.1.2 (b) to G.C Smith? And if the warning was issued to the South Africa captain, then why after the match AB de Villiers said the following on record, as reported by ESPN cricinfo, quoted as below:

“De Villiers said there was uncertainty as to what they were being penalised for: ‘I don’t even know where the message came from. There were no warnings, no talk of it. I still don’t know the facts’.”

As such, all the above mentioned facts must be cleared by the ICC and the match referee. It should also be explained that whether De Villiers was speaking a white lie, or did the elite ICC umpires, miserably failed in the performance of their duties as per law and gave undue advantages to the South African team at the expense of the Pakistani team?

S. NAYYAR UDDIN AHMAD
Lahore

60 meters boundaries have made the game of international cricket a mockery.

Wake up ICC before people become disenchanted with this glorious game.

An excerpt given below from a news item published by the daily “The Nation”, exposes the worth of cricket records, which are formed on various small and large size unstandardised grounds, having different boundary sizes ranging from 60 to 90 meters.

Here, we must not forget that games like football, hockey, tennis and badminton etc., are not played on different size fields. If the playing areas are not standardised, how can anyone claim that he has created a world record.

It is high time that ICC takes up this important issue of various boundary sizes, used in all forms of cricket and rule that minimum of 80 meters and a maximum of 90 meters boundary sizes are a must, for any match to be recognised as an international game, in all forms of cricket.

Excerpt of the daily “The Nation” published 3 Nobember, 2013 is detailed s belo:-

“India hit 19 sixes in a ground having 60 metre boundaries as they racked up 383; Australia replied with 326, the ninth time in 11 innings that a team passed 300 this series. And though they lost by a sizeable margin in the end, they did not lose the six-hitting contest. Australia’s 19 blows over the Chinnaswamy Stadium’s tiny boundaries helped smash the record for the most sixes in a one-day international. India and New Zealand had hit 31 in Christchurch in 2009; India and Australia hit a numbing 38 today. Vinay Kumar’s 1 for 102 in nine overs were the worst figures by an Indian in an ODI; two Australians were close to owning the record for the quickest 50 by an Australian, and James Faulkner’s 57-ball 100 was his country’s fastest century. It was hard to make sense of it all.”